2025 produced yet another successful Banbridge CC club league and club racing season, with almost 60 competitive members competing for 24 perpetual cups and trophy titles. With an age range from under 10 to over 70, and from beginner level through to Olympians, it was also great to see the range of diversity of the competitors and membership.
The season kicked off in April with the traditional MAC 2-Up Time Trials, marking the start of another exciting year of competition. Unfortunately, the second week of racing was postponed due to adverse weather conditions—a sign of things to come. Regrettably, the late-season Thomas White Memorial, which also includes the Luton Cup and Jack Carson competitions, was cancelled in September due to safety concerns arising from heavy rain forecasts. As a result, those 3 competitions and cups will not be awarded for 2025.
It’s always great to see in the early season races who’s made significant strides over the winter months to improve their performances for the coming season. It was undeniable that one rider had clearly invested significant effort and came out of the blocks flying in his bid to collect silverware. Michael Larkin not only won the first individual handicapped TT event of the season but followed it up the very next week with another, and in fact claimed the first 3 handicapped TT events on the calendar. Unsurprisingly this gave Mick a commanding early lead in the club league, and his consistency and continued improvement throughout the season meant he was in contention for overall honours through to the very end of the racing year.
Many of the regular contenders also spent the season hovering around the top of the league table. Previous Club League winner Aaron Parks is never far away and with another remarkably consistent season scoring high points in the club road race events he once again collects the Donaghy Cup for the Roadman’s BAR (best all-rounder) – a competition he was won in 3 of the last 4 years.
Ruth McKee once again finished the year as the leading woman in the league and retains the Mayne Cup as the Women’s BAR for the 3rd year on the trot. The emergence of the McArdle sisters in the club league has been an exciting development, although with both missing either part of most of the season due to maternity their challenge for overall honours was somewhat impeded! Surprisingly the impact wasn’t as dramatic as what you might expect, with Carla McArdle only 41 points adrift of McKee on the table – not an insurmountable advantage had she had the capacity to compete at more events during the year. It bodes for an interesting 2026…
Fortune changed this year for one of the most consistent performers in the club league over the last few years. While Mark Kendall’s consistency has not converted to much in the way of silverware, with only one etching required on the Dennison Cup in 2022, that trend was set to be corrected in 2025. With Larkin’s dominance in the time trials, and Parks’ in the road races, it was Mark’s high average score across all events that resulted in him topping the table at the conclusion of the league with 222 points – a very slender 2-point advantage over Mick’s 220 points. Aaron Park’s completes the top 3 with a tally of 190 points.
The final 2025 Banbridge CC League Table standings can be found below, along with all the ’25 competition and cup winners. All winners will be announced and presented at the club annual Awards Night and Social Evening on Saturday 8th November. Those wishing to attend should contact Toni Hannigan at the earliest opportunity, but no later than 29th October, by text or email. All monies must be paid at time of booking to confirm your place. The cost is £12 per head which includes a spit roast dinner and entertainment from DJ Robbie – so excellent value for money!
2025 Final Club League Table
2025 Club Competition and Cup Winners
Competition / Cup |
Discipline |
Winner |
| Mac 2 Up Trophy | 2-Up TT Series | D.Purdy / M. Kendall |
| Weir Cup | H/cap TT | Michael Larkin |
| Wills Cup | H/cap TT | Michael Larkin |
| John Maxwell Cup | H/cap TT | Tevor Martin |
| Maxwell Cup | Road Race | Gavin Clarke |
| Heathwood Cup | H/cap TT | Michael Larkin |
| Fusco Cup | Time Trial | William McBride |
| David Lavery Mem. Cup | Road Race | Nathan Mullan |
| Gilchrist Cup | Road Race | Aaron Parks |
| Quinn Cup | H/cap TT | Michael Larkin |
| Mourne Observer Cup | Road Race | Nathan Mullan |
| Skelly Cup | H/cap TT | Philip Castles |
| O’Hagan Tyres Cup | Hill Climb | Paul-Antoine Hagan |
| Chronicle Cup | Senior TT BAR | Michael Larkin |
| Outlook Cup | Junior BAR | Adam Matthews |
| Super Fry Trophy | Master’s BAR | Mark Kendall |
| Downey Cycles Cup | Youth BAR | Zara Aiken |
| Donaghy Cup | Roadman’s BAR | Aaron Parks |
| Mayne Cup | Ladies BAR | Ruth McKee |
| Logan Cup | Senior Points | Mark Kendall |
| Clen Dane | Junior Points | Adam Matthews |
| Gerald McAleenan Mem | Most Improved TT | Michael Larkin |
| Race League Trophy | League Points | Mark Kendall |
| Eddie Sands MTB Trophy | MTB Race | Jon Runciman |
